


the daylight is lit with more volatile light

by tigriswolf



Series: comment_fic drabbles [44]
Category: White Collar, X-Men (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-11-21
Updated: 2012-02-06
Packaged: 2017-10-26 09:26:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 626
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/281420
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tigriswolf/pseuds/tigriswolf
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There's a criminal. And there's an FBI Special Agent. And over there, in a fabulous hat, is another criminal who helps the FBI catch bad guys.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Title: the daylight is lit with more volatile light  
> Fandom: White Collar/X-Men  
> Disclaimer : not my characters; title from Whitman  
> Warnings: somewhat AU  
> Pairings: pre-Neal/Peter  
> Rating: PG  
> Wordcount: 320  
> Point of view: third  
> Prompt: White Collar/X-Men; Neal, Peter, Any; Neal's a mutant.

There's a criminal. And there's an FBI Special Agent. And over there, in a fabulous hat, is another criminal who helps the FBI catch bad guys.

The first criminal has a gun pointed at the second. The FBI Special Agent sets his at his feet and puts his hands on his head, following the orders of a man who won't hesitate to kill.

The first criminal and the FBI Special Agent are human. They are only dangerous with a weapon in hand or sufficiently pissed off and within reach of their target.

The second criminal... he's a bit different.

It's not even that cool of a power. Some mutants can change their shape or fly or move quicker than light. Professor X, he can read and control minds. Uncle Erik can control metal, which is much more handy than anyone realizes. He and Neal had spent an entire afternoon detailing what controlling metal can _actually_ mean. It's scary, when thought about for too long.

The criminal (Carl Gregor, owes serious money, conned it out of retirees, has killed before and is totally okay with doing it again) licks his lips and jerks around to shoot Peter.

And _that_. Well.

Gregor pulls the trigger. Neal focuses on the gun, on the energy about to explode of it, and makes it _stop_.

The gun explodes. Gregor will be lucky to keep his arm, but his wrist and hand are completely destroyed, and shards may be in his chest, neck, and face. (A few may have gone into his eyes. Neal totally didn't tell them to.)

Uncle Erik can control metal. And during that afternoon discussion, they may have talked about a bit more than Uncle Erik's potential strength.

Peter fusses over Neal for a second, then checks on Gregor. Neal thinks about the energy in Gregor's heart, and then decides to let him keep breathing.

He didn't actually hurt Peter, after all.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Agent Burke,” Uncle Erik says, looking back at Peter. “It was good to meet you. I know that Neal is quite the handful.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title: untitled  
> Fandom: White Collar/X-Men  
> Disclaimer: not my characters  
> Warnings: AU for White Collar  
> Pairings: none  
> Rating: PG  
> Wordcount: 305  
> Point of view: third  
> Prompt: Erik and Neal interacting? Or Peter meeting Erik.

“Uncle Erik!” Neal says, stopping in his tracks. Peter raises a brow and follows Neal’s gaze across the street, to an older man in a fairly nice suit and dark trenchcoat. 

“Neal,” ‘Uncle Erik’ replies, inclining his head; he crosses the street without looking, and no one honks, no one yells, no one almost hits him. It’s amazing.

It’s suspicious. 

“What are you doing here?” Neal asks, smiling up at Uncle Erik.

Uncle Erik gives Peter an assessing stare. “I have business in Manhattan,” he says, focusing back on Neal. “Are you staying out of trouble?” 

Neal grins at him. “Yup,” he lies, flashing his most innocent smile. 

Uncle Erik laughs. He has an interesting accent: a mix of Polish, German, and British. He’s taller than Peter, and though he’s old, he’s clearly still strong and in control. He’s got a commanding presence; Peter would hate to have to go up against him for charge of a scene or team. 

“After I conclude my business,” Uncle Erik says, “we’ll have dinner.” 

“Sure.” Neal’s bouncing in place, and he looks young. 

“Agent Burke,” Uncle Erik says, looking back at Peter. “It was good to meet you. I know that Neal is quite the handful.” 

Peter smiles. “He’s been an asset.” 

There’s something about this ‘Uncle Erik.’ Peter knows he’s seen the man before. But where? 

“Be good, Neal,” Uncle Erik says. He nods to Peter and crosses the street again. And again – no one honks, yells, slams on their brakes, even though the man doesn’t look. And the way he says ‘Neal’… well, Peter had already known that wasn’t his real name. 

Uncle Erik says ‘Neal’ like it’s an inside joke. 

Uncle Erik is a con, too. 

Peter almost wrenches something, spinning around to see which way Erik went. He’s nowhere to be seen.

Neal is smiling.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [[podfic] the daylight is lit with more volatile light](https://archiveofourown.org/works/930774) by [reena_jenkins](https://archiveofourown.org/users/reena_jenkins/pseuds/reena_jenkins), [tigriswolf](https://archiveofourown.org/users/tigriswolf/pseuds/tigriswolf)




End file.
